Avengers Power Pack: Family Matters
by DrunkenGrognard
Summary: An untraceable kidnapper has struck! What does he have in store for the victims? How will their families respond?
1. Issue One

_Author's Note: In this particular incarnation of the Power Pack, instead of buggering off and letting their parents go quietly mad after fighting off Demon!Carmody during the Inferno crossover, the kids stuck around and talked things out with their folks. Margaret and James weren't exactly thrilled that their kids were regularly placing themselves in danger, but in the end, were proud as hell that the kids WERE trying to help people and make a positive difference. The balance of the series would continue mostly unchanged, sans some of the stuff they did to hide their powers and/or general lying to the parents; and James (who, let us not forget, was a borderline spark even in cannon - recall the antimatter converter from the first issue) divvying his time between teaching and Doing Science with Reed on occasion. Eventually, I'll write that up too, but my muse doesn't want to do the setup just now, it just wants to do this story._

_Also, just as Top Gear: The Mid Childa Special was written in script form because it chronicled a fake TV episode, I toyed with the idea of writing this in the format of a comic book script. In the end I judged that to be a very silly thing to do (also, the format was thwarting me)_

_Disclaimer: I own none of these characters or worlds; I am simply playing with them for my own amusement and, hopefully, yours. Please don't sue, I'm not worth the effort._

**Family Matters**

Issue One

_It could not be said that New York City was dark at night; not truly, for the busiest city in the world never truly slept. It came close, however, at some times. Close enough for a canny thief to steal through in the night. His targets here were well known and thoroughly scouted. They would have no way of following him..._

_Wakanda, deep in the heart of Africa, presented a great temptation, but one that was resisted. The people of that land had oft proven unexpectedly skilled, their technology far better than it had a right to be. They would be avoided..._

_Onward the thief traveled, now into Europe and Asia, skimming the Channel, hovering contemplatively over London and Berlin and Tokyo, made a scattered handful of landfalls. The thief worked with care. He wanted a great many prizes, yes, but most important was to take them without being caught..._

_Off the shore of California, the island of Utopia was tempting, but ultimately seemed more trouble than it was worth. The residents there, unlike the others scouted, had unpredictable abilites, and it was entirely possible that, should they be angered, they would be able to track them when no others could. The thief passed them up, pausing at a bungalow on the coast before moving onward..._

* * *

OoO

* * *

The Power household in New York City was a busy one most mornings, and this was no exception. James was pouring over his lecture notes as he slurped coffee, the Professor readying himself for another day. Across the table from him, eldest son Alex was also getting ready for the day; planning to attend class rather than teach, but still overlapping his father's purposes a great deal. To the right, his younger brother Jack was doodling in the margins as he read the newspaper's funny pages, rapidly-devoured breakfast digesting.**  
**

Margaret Power, matriarch of the clan, had retreated to her studio, the first stages of another commission taking form on her canvas. Her art was both passion and profession; and she counted herself fortunate to have that opportunity. The youngest of the Power children, young Katie, was yet to wake; but there was still time. They'd wake her shortly if she didn't show herself, but for the moment there was no reason to worry.**  
**

The elder daughter, Julie, had split her course from the rest of the family some years before. They did not talk about; or to; her very often, but she was genuinely missed; the words that had chased her away regretted.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Hey, Katie - you gonna get up at some point? Don't want ta be late for school." Jack paused at the door, listening, then knocked again. "Katie? You awake?"

The younger brother paused for a long moment, hearing nothing from his little sister's room. Indecision filled him for a long moment, then he tentatively opened the door.

There was no sign of his little sister within. The bed was unmade, and a glass toppled off her bedside table. Katie was many things, but messy was not one of them, these days. Her leaving without tidying up... was off. Jack glanced down the hall to the living room. "Alex, I think something might be wrong here..." There was no one thing he could put his finger on, but this didn't feel right.

Alex joined him. "Jack, what's -" he broke off, looking around. "Huh. That's... odd." His gaze stopped a moment on the bedside table. "She left her phone." Jack followed his glance - the little yellow-and-pink cell was right next to the clock. "Even if she'd leave the glass, she wouldn't leave the phone."

The two brothers faced each other, and realised what was going on. "Something's taken her."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Luke Cage stormed into the Avenger's Mansion in a fury, his wife on his heels. A few steps took him into the situation room; roving gaze hunting for someone in authority. "Stark! Stark, we got a problem."

Tony glanced up. "Another one? Glad to see you, Cage, but... what's happened?"**  
**

Minor flunkies had the good sense to get out of the way as the two parents crossed the room. "Someone, we ain't sure who yet, got into our place last night and kidnapped Danielle."**  
**

Stark felt the blood drain from his face. "Damn. First Latveria, now kidnapping..."**  
**

The parents paused. After a moment Jessica asked, "What _about _Latveria?"**  
**

Stark pointed to the display in the situation room. "We're not sure yet. _Something_**'**s got the place in an uproar, but we haven't been able to get a good look at things." A pause. "Whoever hit your place - they leave a note?"

**"**No; nothin... We woke up, and she was gone, her crib was empty."**  
**

Tony looked him in the eyes. "We're not gonna let them get away with it, Luke. I'll get ahold of SHIELD, get a team with some of my gear looking the place over. We'll get her back."**  
**

Luke's smile was thin. "Damn straight."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Katie Power returned to the world of the conscious slowly.**  
**

She was lying on a metal floor, in her pyjamas, some kind of metal collar around her neck. Sitting up, she rubbed sleep from gummier-than-normal eyes, suddenly very aware that her head was pounding. What had happened to her...**  
**

She shot upright as the memory came back, clear and sharp as a crystal razor. _Some faint shape coming through her wall. A bare glimpse of a green hand, attached to a cruely smiling man with pointed ears and ripply chin, a shock, and then she dropped from half-asleep to fully unconscious._**  
**

**"**Kidnapped by aliens," she muttered, "Again." A moment of thought. "At least it wasn't Snarks this time."**  
**

She looked around the cell. There was a cot bolted to the wall, a sink, and what might generously be called a toilet next to it. A few vents near the floor. One wall was nonexistant, just the glowing edges and telltale shimmer of a force field. Beyond was a narrow corridor and another cell opposite. There was another girl there, in pyjamas, with a similar metal collar and a fuzzy looking hat. She seemed to be sleeping.**  
**

Tentatively, Katie touched the force field. It repelled her fingertip with a fat popping noise, and she shook the stinging finger. She looked up and down the corridor; saw at least half a dozen other cells, though she couldn't see well enough into them to spot anyone else. "Anyone else awake?" She asked, voice pitched to carry.**  
**

The girl across from her began to stir, but before she could get up, a familiar voice sounded from down the hall.**  
**

**"**Katie? Katie, is that you?" Two cells down, Franklin Richards appeared at the force field, turned towards her. As it always did, it struck her for a moment that his life was so much weirder; all kinds of temporal weirdness messing up his age - they should be almost the same age, but he was at least two years younger, now. He, too, had a metal collar around his neck, and she could see the familiar metal bands of the power dampeners his father routinely stuck him with poking out from his sleeves.**  
**

**"**Franklin!" She smiled for a moment, then schooled her features, mind going in serious, businesslike directions. "Any idea who got us?"**  
**

**"**I got a look for a second - the one that grabbed me was a Skrull." He pointed to the collar. "I think this is some sort of general mutant power damper. Between it, and Father's, I can't get anything going."**  
**

Katie nodded. _Disappointing, but not really unexpected._She glanced around. The occupant cell across from her, and the one between that cell and Franklin, were awake and standing now. The girl with the hat was tugging at her collar, muttering. The other prisoner was a girl of similar age, looking vaguely frightened. After a moment of hesitation the strange brown haired girl reached a hand at her cell's force field. The jolt sent her toppling with a yelp.**  
**

Hat Girl abruptly stopped at the noise, rushing to her own cell's doorway and leaning against the wall. "Klara! Klara, are you okay? What happened?"**  
**

Klara stirred, started to pick herself up. "I... I am fine, Molly... Just a shock." She had a faint accent, one Katie couldn't quite place.**  
**

From the cell beside her own, Katie heard another voice speak; another girl, this one speaking in a vaguely Asian accent and acid tones. "And what did you expect to happen when you shoved at a force field, foolish girl?"**  
**

**"**Leave her alone!" Growled Molly, shooting a crosswise glare at the speaker, then glancing roughly to where her friend lay. "Klara, you're okay, right?"**  
**

**"**I'll be fine." The brown haired girl tugged at the collar. "Being unable to hear any plants... is most disconcerting."**  
**

**"**It might just be the damper. I mean, even the best space ship's probably got molds or something."**  
**

Franklin looked up and down the corridor, clearly trying to get a look at everyone he could from his limited vantage. "Hey... is everyone in here a mutant?"**  
**

After a moment he was answered by a chorus of voices, male and female, all young, and all giving variations on 'yes.' Some were more confident or assured than others, but there were enough of them that Franklin's smile turned into a broad grin. Katie felt herself grinning similarly. Molly, perhaps noticing that she hadn't answered, was looking at her oddly.**  
**

**"**Isn't that interesting," said Katie slowly. "They kidnapped a bunch of mutants, and put power dampers on them." She felt her grin grow wider. "And then they grabbed me, too." **  
**

Molly caught that. "Wait... you _aren't _a mutant?"**  
**

Katie shook her head cheerily.

Molly grinned back, and even her hurt, shy looking friend managed a smile.

Katie took two decisive steps into the center of the cell and steadied herself. _It's a shame we're all swapped from our usuals..._A deep breath. **"**_Costume on!"_she shouted, and a familiar whirl of energy swept over her, whisking her pyjamas off to Elsewhere, and replacing them with the blue-and-black tights of her current powers. The collar didn't go with them, but that was okay. It wasn't going to be a problem in a moment.**  
**

It's effects slowed her down for perhaps a second as she shifted her mass, changing into a billowing cloud. She puffed outward, testing the vents - all of them sealed with what felt like a one-way forcefield (or at least, the ones Friday used), then tested the main shield. It stung uncomfortably as she pushed at it, and did not admit her. Rather than risk harming herself, she backed off and solidified.**  
**

Across the hall, Molly's grin was faltering. "Is that it?"**  
**

Katie shook her head. _Well. I suppose if it was easy, it wouldn't take a superhero._** "**I have a few other tricks." She gestured, and a bubble field formed against the whole of the force field. She pushed into it, applying pressure against the entirety of the field, hoping for some give. Nothing. She concentrated the field down to the size of a dinner plate and tried again. Still nothing. **  
**

A sigh, and she clouded up again. This time, she moved to the top of the cell, and compressed herself. The hundred-mumble-mumble-pound Katie Hammer slammed down, rebounding back into the air to come down again, and she systematically hammered her way across the floor, hunting for seams or other weak points. Finally, she gave up, and returned to full size. Mentally, she opened the circuit of her costume's communicator. There was a hash of feedback, signifying some kind of jamming, and she let it close. "They did a really good job building this place. That's... annoying."**  
**

Franklin was scowling, glaring at the walls and force field as if they had done him a grievous insult for being too well built for their initial plan to work. Klara was looking at her wide-eyed. Molly was looking thoughtful. "I recognize that costume style. Katie... Power, right?" Katie nodded. Molly continued, "Related to Julie Power?"

"My big sister. When did you see her?"

"A couple months ago. She was kind of a jerk."**  
**

Katie sighed, slumped onto the cot. "Yeah... she could be. But she was okay, when you saw her?"**  
**

**"**Yeah..." A pause. "She made it sound like none of her family cared about her."**  
**

Katie shook her head. "She had a big fight with Mom an' Dad an' Alex, but we never wanted her to leave." A sigh. "At least whoever did this didn't get her, too."**  
**

Silence descended for a moment. Molly broke it. "Hey, we're not gonna be stuck here forever. They think their thingy turned your powers off, right? The fact that it didn't's gonna be a nasty surprise. Then we can _all _get out of here." A pause. "Wherever here is, anyway. And Klara an' I have friends- somebody'll come after us."**  
**

Katie smiled again. "So do Franklin and I. His parents are the Fantastic Four."**  
**

Klara smiled faintly at this. Molly, for her part grinned. A murmer started to rise from the other prisoners.**  
**

Katie took a moment to stretch, exchanging a glance with Franklin. "Yeah, I almost feel sorry for the Skrulls." A pause. "Almost."**  
**

Molly started cackling, clearly having some of the same thoughts.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Jessica had gone to meet the SHIELD team at their apartment. Luke Cage, for his part, had stayed at the mansion. His heart wasn't really in monitoring the Latverian situation, but it gave him something to do, some distraction. Investigation wasn't his thing, wasn't something he was good at. He'd stay out of the expert's way as they tried to find out just what was going on. Once they had a lead on the kidnappers, he'd hit the ground running, probably with more than a little help.**  
**

None of the Avengers were fond of kidnappers, after all. Whoever was responsible for this was going to pay for it. Dearly.**  
**

He was quietly discussing various hidden trails and back routes around Latveria with a SHIELD liaison officer - one who might just need to get into that benighted country depending on what they found - going over his recollection and (by some miracle he'd found them) notes from his one-man incursion there some years ago, back in his Hero For Hire days. The man was so earnest it almost hurt; but the thought gave comfort that the scanning team might just be this earnest, too.**  
**

A staffer stood from one of the consoles. "Mister Stark? We just got a call from Registered Superhuman A. Power - AKA Powerhouse. He's reporting another kidnapping with a similar M.O. to the one Mr. Cage reported."**  
**

**"**I didn't know he even _had _a... wait, no, his little sister." Stark shook his head to clear it for a moment. "Put him through."**  
**

The worried face of Alex Power filled one of the screens near the main ops board in the situation room. Just behind him, Luke could see his younger brother Jack, and an older couple he assumed were the kid's parents. Stark spoke up. "Alexander. I understand you have a situation?"**  
**

The kid nodded. **"**_Someone's taken my sister. We've used our Smartship's sensors to look, and we can't identify any energy signature. We also can't see her anywhere on Earth or in local space."_

If Tony was surprised by the statement, he showed no sign. "I see. This isn't the first mystery kidnapping to cross our desk today. Care to come down and help us work this out?"**  
**

Power's nod was more decisive than one might expect from a kid his age. **"**_We'll be there momentarily. Just give us air clearance for our Smartship, okay?_**"**

* * *

OoO

* * *

Friday sounded almost as worried as the boys to James Power's ears as he rode along for the trip. Their faithful, sentient starship had confirmed their first fears - Katie was gone. It _hadn't _managed to figure out who'd done it, or where they'd gone, but it had managed the first step. Alex's little connection to the Avengers had gotten the second step going. Jack was along because there was no way they'd be able to stop him; and in the end no real desire to do so. James was along because there was at least an outside chance his own scientific knowledge might actually be able to help.**  
**

And because if he and Margaret both stayed home, their fear and panic would just feed off each other and reduce them to nervous wrecks.**  
**

Friday landed himself with his usual lack of fuss, and the canopy swung open. He followed the boys onto the lawn next to the Mansion, past the guards. Jarvis met them at the door. Alex and Jack exchanged nods with him; James shook his hand.**  
**

**"**I'm terribly sorry to hear the news. I assure you, Mister Power, the Avengers will not rest until they can resolve this."**  
**

**"**I know, Jarvis. Thank you."**  
**

They were waved towards the back of the building, past some staff and SHIELD agents. James tried not to eye the G-men with his hippie's natural distrust for the breed; right now, he needed their help. As they neared the doors, Alex and Jack exchanged glances and a nod; then changed into their 'working clothes.' Alex, as tall as his father and broader of shoulder, cut an imposing figure in white-on-black. Jack, still coming into his full growth, made up for size with anger in his black-and-gold.

In the situation room, he saw more SHIELD agents, what he could only call the Big Board filling one wall, and a number of Superheroes. The Power Man, Luke Cage, he knew from the news; likewise Ms Marvel, She-Hulk, and Captain America. He'd met Tony Stark - the Iron Man - at a scientific conference years ago; they'd consulted a few times since, though not recently. Given the way the Registration Act had blown up in all their faces, he was decidedly unsure how he felt about the man, these days. And felt a little guilty for not discouraging his eldest son from registering.**  
**Stark noticed them, straightened up from the console he'd been hunched at. "Powerhouse, Destroyer, Professor Power. I wish this meeting could be under better circumstances."**  
**

**"**Thank you, sir," began Alex. "Though at the moment it's just Gee-Force." A pause. "Who was the other kidnapping victim?"**  
**

**"**My daughter," said Power Man in his baritone rumble.**  
**

**"**Danielle? She's just a baby.." Jack sounded as horrified as his father felt. James met the black man's gaze, his own full of sympathetic pain as he remembered the first time his children had been kidnapped. _How much worse must it be, when the child in question is still so small and vulnerable?_**  
**

Power Man's expression softened slightly as he realized the genuine nature of James' own sympathy. "Yeah. We've got people looking our place over now. Soon as we catch a trail, the Avengers will follow it."**  
**

**"**_We'll _follow it together," said Alex, his tone broking no argument. "Our sister's in danger. And besides, Friday's faster in hyperspace than anything the Avengers have that I know about."**  
**

Stark and Cage exchanged a look, then Cage nodded. "Can't argue with that."**  
**

There was a commotion at one of the other consoles. "Mister Stark, Mister Cage... one of our routine police report checks is reporting almost thirty kidnappings this morning, across North and South America, and Europe, all showing similar M.O.'s. Five of them are of children either known or suspected to be mutants."**  
**

**"**Thirty-two," came a hard alto from the doorway. Susan Richards, the Invisible Woman, strode into the Avenger's situation room as if _daring_them to throw her out, trailed by the imposing, stony bulk of Benjamin Grimm. "Someone managed to slip through all the security of my home and made off with my children. Reed's not home. All his systems have failed to locate the who, what, and when. I'm hoping that by combining forces with the Avengers, we might be able to shed some light on things."

* * *

OoO

* * *

In the control center of a hidden base on a remote jungle world, the Super Skrull known as Z'aadw stood smiling at attention as he received praises for a job well done. He was one of a kind; a Super Skrull designed not for battle but for infiltration. Invisible, intangible, fully transparent to all known sensors; and able to render a humanoid unconscious with but a touch. The perfect thief. His target had been young superhumans; his aim, to provide his people with examples of yet more superpowers; to breed a newer, stronger, more advanced Super Skrull. His nieces and nephews, empowered through the samples he brought back, would ensure the victory of the Skrull Empire.

And in the process, they would hurt a lot of Human superheroes who had so recently stymied their plans and bloodied their noses. Revenge was sweet.


	2. Issue Two

_Disclaimer: I make no claims of ownership over these characters; and this story is intended simply as entertainment and a tribute. Please do not sue._

**Issue Two**

Valeria Richards fumed in impotent silence. These Skrulls had clearly done their homework before striking. They clearly knew of her affinity for technology and engineering; unlike all the others, her hands were bound. Some kind of super-strong polymer. It had resisted her every effort to pry away, cut, or abrade, and the force field didn't even affect it noticeably when she'd pressed into it. Which was a pity, because even in the sparely furnished cell she could identify at least half a dozen potential improvised tools; all of them useless to her without the ability to use her hands.

The oversight where Katie Power's dampener was concerned seemed odd, but other than that they had made no mistakes she could think of.

Well. Besides the obvious. Her parents would not rest until they managed to pick up these Skrull's trail, however skilled at infiltration and exfiltration their agent - almost certainly a specialized Super Skrull - might be. Her father was the greatest genius in the universe; he'd find a way.

She hoped.**  
**

Because from what little contact she'd had with her captors thus far, they did _not_seem to be suicidal. And surely, if they'd left any trail behind, this entire exercise was nothing but an elaborate method of suicide. And, well, they'd manged to sneak through the defenses and alarms of the Future Foundation to abscond with herself and her feckless but powerful brother undetected. Clearly, they had some skill to back up their bluster.**  
**

She stopped herself from sniffling. She was a strong girl, her father's daughter, and _she would not cry_. Her father would find them. Her shoulders shook in suppressed sobs, but she did not cry.

* * *

OoO

* * *

SHIELD had done its best to keep word of the mass kidnapping getting out, but perhaps inevitably, the news had spread across the unofficial information networks of the super-set. Captain Britian had called them, informing them that he and MI13 were throwing their own investigative might into the search, as well as offering to help co-ordinate them with the more conventional investigative agencies in Europe. Stephen Strange had vowed to do his best to scry the missing children, taking blood samples from the Powers, as well as Sue, to try for their missing kin directly. They'd gotten a call an hour ago from Utopia; the White Queen would be doing a full telepathic sweep for the missing children, probing to the fullest limits of Cerebra's range. Summers himself had delivered a Shi'ar database; in the hope that some of its information might help them find some sign of this mystery kidnapper.

He hadn't been able to stay, which was probably for the best, as shortly thereafter, Wolverine had pulled up on a motorcycle, offering his services as a tracker, another, slightly less up-to-date, Shi'ar database, and Henry McCoy. The mutant genius threw his efforts into aiding their searchers as Logan joined the teams himself, pausing first to offer words of comfort to the Power boys.**  
**The tension was getting to everyone. Latveria was still a cauldron simmering away. No statement had been made, and the Latverians were barely even acknowledging the attention focused on them. The very lack of Doom's normal bombast was perhaps more unnerving than its presence would be.**  
**

The mood in the situation room was grim. As the first few reports came in - all negative - the fear, anger, and unease that permeated the crowd began to fester. Tempers frayed as the negative reports continued, or were re-confirmed by the follow-ups.

* * *

0oO

* * *

Logan was being as respectful as possible in the Power family home. He'd never forgotten that first thanksgiving that Katie had invited him to. Once the whole family was in the know, those invitations became an annual event, one he'd appreciated. Memories of them had gotten him through some dark days. He was trying to repay those good memories now, going over the apartment as a whole, and Katie's room in particular, with a fine-toothed comb.

And he was finding _nothing._**  
**

The scents of the Powers were there. A faint touch of electrical smoke; residue either of Alex or James tinkering, or Jack using his energy powers. Oil paints, acrylics, thinners for the same. Food smells, carpet cleaner, the normal scents of a lived-in home. Nothing out of place. Nothing that might indicate who or what had done this.**  
**

The look on Margaret Power's face when he'd had to sadly tell her he'd struck out was going to be with him for quite some time, he knew.**  
**

As he loaded up with the SHIELD agents heading for the next location - one of the police-reported kidnappings - he resolved that whatever it took, he'd find the perps and make them pay.

* * *

Oo0

* * *

Molly Hayes was tugging at the collar again.**  
**

This was just... wearying. She was tired, bored, and hungry. Oh, she'd gotten to know some of her cellmates - swapping stories with Katie Power and Franklin Richards, who kept getting glared at by the weird Asian girl who had snarked at Klara earlier. _She_hadn't said much since then, and spent most of her time doing what looked like martial arts warmups in her cell; while making the occasional acid comment on something Franklin or Katie said. She still hadn't given the rest of them her name.**  
**

Understandably, most of the others were really mad about the Skrulls, and a number of her fellow prisoners had declared the entire race to be horrible horrible creatures who were all totally evil, between this and their invasion a while back, and that all Skrulls ought to die. Franklin and Katie had objected, saying there were _some_good Skrulls, talking about a lady Skrull named Lyja. They were shouted down by the others. Molly and Klara came to their aid, speaking of Xavin. They were shouted down, too (winning them a smug and cruel smirk from the Asian girl) but from what Molly could see, Katie had at least appreciated the attempt.**  
**

Katie had spent most of the day so far in her superhero costume; either staying ready for action or else trying to keep her PJs clean. Or perhaps just to keep from getting bored. Despite being the same sort of form-fitting thing her big sister wore (except Katie's didn't have the belly cut out of it) it seemed to have _really deep_pockets, from which Katie had produced a music player, a GameBoy, and some candy bars. She'd then glanced at herself and Klara, then put the candy bars back with a sort of apologetic look on her face. Personally, Molly wouldn't have begrudged her the snack, though the fact that she cared enough not to indulge while the rest of them went hungry was kind of noble of her.**  
**

There was a commotion down the corridor. Molly tried to look. Whatever it was, it was out of her line of sight for the moment, but it was slowly and steadily coming closer. Katie hadn't heard, it seemed, so she started waving frantically, trying to get her attention. It worked, and the other superhero stashed her goodies and changed clothes, craned her own neck to try and get a view of the commotion.**  
**By leaning as close to the force field as she could without getting zapped, Molly could see the source of the activity: five Skrulls, all of them the lumpy, hulking masculine type. Four of them held guns, the fifth pushed a cart of food. It seemed they were taking no chances with their prisoners, holding guns on prisoners as they dropped force fields to hand in food. Oddly, for one cell they actually went inside, and lingered for a while. The two armed ones who stayed outside looked particularly nervous as they held guns level at the unseen occupant.**  
**

Two cells over, Franklin hissed, "What are they doing to my little sister?"**  
**

The nearer guard seemed to hear, turned his head right around and smirked. "Making sure she doesn't get her hands on any tools. Would you rather we didn't feed her at all?"**  
**

She heard the boy's teeth grind, but he didn't say anything more. The whole of the cell block seemed to come to the same conclusion, and they limited themselves to surly glares as the aliens delivered their 'hospitality.'

* * *

Oo0

* * *

The Avengers Mansion had an impressive workout facility. Mostly, it reminded Jack of the X-Men's Danger Room. Though the Avengers didn't have quite as much a tradition of everyone wrecking the thing at least once. Or the gym trying to kill them all, for that matter.

Dad was doing the Mad Science thing with Beast and Iron Man. Alex, science guru that he was, was assisting. Jack hadn't been accomplishing a damned thing. He didn't know science, he didn't know detective work. Art he could do, and he was a decent problem-solver in general situations, but this was beyond his scope. Rather than lose it amid all the people trying to solve the problem, he'd come down here to blow off some of his anger more or less safely. It wasn't helping as much as he'd hoped.**  
**

_My little sister is in danger, possibly deadly danger, and I can do nothing._One of the remotes fired an energy blast at him. He caught the blast one-handed, absorbed it, and powerballed the remote for its efforts. He fried two more the same way, then one popped up firing beanbag rounds instead of energy. He dodged around the first few volleys, then got in close enough to lay a hand on the thing. Power crackled around his hands as he disintegrated it. The exercise continued, finally ended. Halfway charged and glowing faintly, he stalked out of the gym, feeling no better.**  
**

He'd gotten the glow more or less tamped out by the time he made it back to the situation room - not discharged so much as subsumed for the moment. Alex looked up as he entered, broke away from the central group. "Any luck, bro?"**  
**

Alex grimaced. "Mixed. Dad, Mr. Stark, and Dr. McCoy have a prototype of a new detector made, and Dr. McCoy is about to go test it out at Franklin's place. So we might have something there. On the minus, Logan couldn't find anything at our place, or the next one he checked. And the White Queen couldn't get a trace with Cerebra."**  
**

**"**Does that thing even have more range than Friday's sensors?"**  
**

Alex shrugged. "Either way, it scans in ways Friday can't." A sigh. "We're still trying, Jack. They're not out of ideas yet, and something might still break in our favor."

* * *

0oO

* * *

**"**What do you mean, you can't fully nullify the brat's powers?"

The Skrull technician dared not glare at his superior; a Super Skrull in the classic mode named F'klr; but he shot the larger being a look. "The Power girl is not a mutant, but rather imbued with superpowers by a Kymelian-"**  
**

**"**I _know _that. It was part of the briefing for this operation."**  
**

The tech resisted the urge to sigh. "Yes. It was. May I continue?" At a fractional nod, he did. "We have no first-hand data about Kymelian superpowers, simply some second hand data purchased from the Zn'rx."**  
**

**"**The Kymelians are a fallen people, and even at their height they never impinged on our territory." F'klr's tone had become less angry, more calculating. "Was the data they sold us wrong?"**  
**

The tech grimaced. "It was certainly... incomplete. If that was from malice or from simple ignorance - the Zn'rx are not noted for their complex science - I cannot say. Much of it seems derived from the mystics of the Wizard's World." A moment, and he gave a shrug. "I can't nullify Kymelian powers in general with the information I have, but I _can_lock down this density shifting by adapting some of the software. The rest can follow once we've studied these powers. Certainly, by the time we'll be ready to consider incorporating them into a potential Super Skrull, we'll be able to nullify them."**  
**

F'klr scowled. "And if the child can make use of a Kymelian Power Transfer herself?"**  
**

**"**So far as the data I have indicates, that particular ability requires direct physical contact. If we keep her away from the other prisoners, she should be unable to transfer to them."**  
**

**"**Didn't you just finish telling me that the data we have is incomplete?"**  
**

At this, the tech winced. "Well, yes... but sir... this facility's environmental systems are starship-grade. We've already seen that those density powers are not enough, themselves, to get out of a sealed chamber, and there are enough unstable molecules in the nullifier that they cannot simple remove themselves from it by reducing density."**  
**

K'klr grunted, conceding the point. "Well enough. How soon can you modify the nullifier?"

* * *

OoO

* * *

**"**I see. Well, it was worth trying. Thank you for trying, Doctor."

Luke Cage glanced up from the reports he'd been slowly reading. "That Doc Strange?"**  
**

Stark nodded. "No good news, unfortunately. They're either too far away, or warded."**  
**

Luke's eyes closed for a long moment, and he slowly exhaled. "Well. The man tried. I can't ask for more than that." Quietly, he added, "God, I feel so _helpless_."**  
**

Tony's hand gently landed on his shoulder. "I know. I don't like it much more. _Nobody_should be this good at hiding their presence from us. My tech, Reed's tech, SHIELD tech, stuff Hank brought with him, now the good Doctor..." He trailed off, for a moment consumed with his own bleak thoughts, then forced steel into his voice. "But we're not going to let them get away with it."**  
**

Cage nodded shortly.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Lunch sat poorly in Katie's stomach. The Skrulls had started dragging kids off, by twos, a while ago. The kids had all been... quiet when they got back, like they were even more scared than they had been. That worried her.

They'd brought some good news with them, though - one of those taken off had tried to break and run, and had spotted a glimpse of a window before being caught. Wherever they were, it was on a planet, not in space. Hearing that, Katie and Franklin had exchanged a single glance and nod; all they needed to confirm a plan. When her turn came, Katie would go cloudy and escape. If she went as fast and high as she could, surely she'd manage to clear the Skrull jamming. At that point, Friday and the cavalry were just a call away. Not a perfect plan, perhaps, but workable.**  
**

She dared not tell anyone about it, either. Someone might blab, in fear for their own safety, and it was also possible that their cells were being monitored. If so, the fact that her powers still worked wasn't a secret, but there wasn't anything she could do about that now. At the time, it had seemed a good idea.**  
**

The sound of boots came down the corridor again. Shortly, a pair of Skrulls stood at the entrance of her cell, guns trained on her as a third de-activated the force field. She followed the rifle's gesture into the corridor herself. Beside her, they opened up the next cell. She took her first look at the caustic-voiced Asian who'd been taunting everyone in earshot all day. Slim, athletic, wearing what looked like a martial artist's _gi,_with black hair pulled into a rough pony-tail and bronze-coloured eyes. Features that looked a mix of Asian and European, actually, suggesting hers was a mixed family. She gave their captors a look of bottomless disdain, perhaps believing in equal opportunity derision.**  
**

The guards marched them to the cell block's exit in silence. Katie noted the cell that Valeria was in, tried to give her a reassuring smile. The young genius' face remained impassive, as it always did, but she thought she saw at least some of the bleak weariness leave her. Further along, she saw two cells set up more like nurseries, each with a half-dozen or so cradles in it. She spared a brief glare for her Skrull escorts. And a moment of sympathy for the parents of those poor infants.**  
**

The Asian girl kept her face forward, appearing to ignore everything around them as she walked along. She seemed to be trying for aloof dignity. Katie was rubbernecking, planning both her escape and the inevitable breakout later. She didn't care if she looked dignified. She just wanted to pull it off and get everyone home.**  
**

Finally, after what felt like half a mile of random hallways, she spotted freedom: an open window, showing the way into what looked like a misty jungle. Katie took a breath. "Costume on!" Even as the unstable molecules swirled around her, she dissolved into mist, relishing the shouts of surprise from her Skrull handlers. An energy bolt flashed through her form, doing nothing but scorch the ceiling.**  
**The Asian girl shot into motion herself, hands a blur as she tried to drop the Skrull closest to her, and the alien stumbled with a curse as one leg collapsed nervelessly. Katie threw a bubble field between her retreating back - confusion to the enemy - then raced for the window.**  
**

And promptly slammed into a force field, causing her to puff out in all directions.**  
**

Before she could get herself re-oriented, a Skrull voice shouted, "Power! You cannot escape us!"**  
**

Katie pulled herself back together - still cloudy, but a humanoid cloud - and looked to the source of the voice. A Skrull - no, make that a Super Skrull, he had the Thing's rocky hide, and one arm stretched out almost ten feet - held the Asian girl by the neck, lifted off the ground. She was trying to pry the rocky fingers away, mouthing what were probably curses at him, unable to talk with her throat held closed.**  
**

Katie found her voice. "Let her go. Let all of us go."**  
**

The Super Skrull smirked. "That, sadly for you, is not an option. You will all be our guests for the duration, as your people say." His expression turned serious. "There is no escaping us, girl. You are our prisoners, and you have a very great destiny. You, and your powers, are going to make the next generation of Super Skrulls. They will be our revenge upon your people." The eyes went abruptly hard. "There will be no heroic rescue coming. Co-operate, and you will live. Do not, and you will die."**  
**

**"**You sound awfully sure of yourselves. Do you seriously think a super hero loose in your base couldn't find a way to bring a rescue along?"**  
**

The Super Skrull looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps you could." A pause, Katie smirked at his indecision. Then he continued in a chillingly matter-of-fact tone, "Well then, little super hero. Co-operate, or I will kill this girl." He lifted the Asian girl higher, and Katie felt her smirk vanish.**  
**

The girl's struggles redoubled; she managed to get her airway clear for a moment. "You would not _dare_- Do you have _any idea _who my father is?"**  
**

The Super Skrull's hand shifted, its grip choking off any further words and covering her face up to her eyes, fully cutting off her airway now. "I neither know nor care. Whoever he is, he cannot have any effect on our operation, because he has no way to find us until we are ready to strike." He looked up. "What will it be, little hero? Will you co-operate with us, or does she die?"**  
**

For a moment, Katie was frozen in horror. But ultimately, there was only one way she could respond. The clouds of her body swirled, solidified. "Let her go." _There'll be another chance, I know it. But for now..._**  
**

The Skrull smiled, dropped the girl. "Very good, little hero." He stepped over the gasping girl, and gestured. Another Skrull grabbed Katie from behind, shoved her roughly against a wall, as another came out of a niche, brandishing tools. They did something to her collar, then dropped her.**  
**

**"**And now that you are properly powerless, we can begin our experiment."

* * *

0oO

* * *

Jessica Jones couldn't bear to stay in the situation room. Not with the endless litany of 'nothing found' continuing. It was wearing on her nerves, far too much. She needed some space, she needed some air. She was out over the ocean now, trying to clear her head. Listening to the wind. Hoping for good news on her com-link. Trying not to obsess over it. Trying to stay collected.**  
**

Because once they knew where to go, they were going to land like a megaton of bricks on the bastards who did it.**  
**

A gentle touch on her shoulder brought her back to the situation. Turning, she saw Carol Danvers. "How you holding up?"**  
**

**"**I'm managing. Better when we find them."**  
**

**"**We will, Jessica. We won't stop until we do."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Julie Power almost deleted the voicemail unheard when she recognized the number. Right about now, she had no desire to make any kind of contact with her family. But something told her she'd regret it if she did.**  
**

The voice was instantly recognized; her mother. **"**_Julie, there's been... something... Someone has kidnapped Katie. We don't know who yet; Alex and I are making some calls. Please, call us, or come home, or something. Your father and I are worried about you."_**  
**

The words hit her like a thunderbolt, and she staggered back into a chair. _Katie? Kidnapped? Again? Who? Why?_**  
**

For a long moment, Julie Power stared at her phone, unthinking, indecisive. Then she took to the skies, rainbow light trailing behind her, and streaked towards a home she'd sworn **  
**she'd never return to.

* * *

Oo0

* * *

The SHIELD scanner tech was making one last sweep over small room; a bedroom shared by three children in this poor French home. It was one of the last kidnappings called in to fit their M.O., and extra care was called for.

Because they'd found sweet fuck-all so far.**  
**

He had to believe that the kidnapper - or kidnappers, given the timeframe he either worked incredibly fast or had accomplices - slipped up _somewhere_. He had to; because if nothing broke in their favor, they'd never be able to save the kids. And that... That didn't bear thinking about. Forget the idea of anguished super-parents possibly taking out their frustrations on he and his, the sheer injustice of the kids being left captured and in terror was simply not worth thinking about.**  
**

Suddenly, his scanner gave a triumphant _beep_. He did a double take at the display, then whooped in victory.

* * *

0oO

* * *

**"**What do you have, Agent?" asked Tony of the man in the comm link.

**"**_Several grains of pollen, Mister Stark. Several grains of pollen of a non-terrestrial origin, exotic enough that the scanner couldn't identify it immediately. We're heading back to the lab to get it identified now, sir."_

Stark's expression took on a look of triumph mirrored by the agent. "Very good. This ought to be the break we needed."


	3. Issue Three

_Disclaimer: I do not own these properties and make no claim on them, this story is written purely for amusement and not for profit._

_Author's note: Real life has been conspiring to stop me from getting any writing done this week, and shows no signs of stopping. Next chapter may be slightly delayed._

**Issue Three**

They didn't look like much; so small as to be nearly invisible to the naked eye. On the sensor plate of the Situation Room's main computer, they looked like nothing more than motes of dust.**  
**

And the hopes of everyone in the room rode on them.**  
**

The sensor plate lit up as it scanned the pollen, and a magnified image of one of the grains appeared on screen, complete with cutaway. "It's scanned in," announced the tech, "Running it through the main Avengers database now."**  
**

Luke stared at the image like a man dying of thirst might stare at a glass of water. Beside him, Tony muttered, "This might not lead us straight to them, you know - it might just be the first clue."**  
**The black man didn't look away. "It's a start. It gives us something to do instead of spin our wheels and hope Doom doesn't do anything that might force us to wait on a rescue." A pause. "I've worked with regular law enforcement, Tony. I know how a kidnapping case like this normally plays out. If you can't find 'em in forty-eight hours, you never will. And we're damn close to that time frame. Even if this is just the first clue, it gets us moving."**  
**

Watching the scan proceed, Jack Power, already looking nervous, turned. "I can't help much here, I'll go start the preflight on Friday." His brother nodded absently, his more scientifically aware eye going over the details carefully.

* * *

OoO

* * *

_If it wasn't me they were menacing, this would almost be funny._**  
**

Since he _was_the subject of Skrull menace, Franklin Richards merely settled for glaring at his captors. Six regular Skrulls held guns on him, two others were manhandling him with the kind of delicate, deliberate action one normally associated with bomb squads, and the group was headed by a full-on Super Skrull. The other prisoner they'd brought out; a kid a few years older than him with a surly glare and hair made of porcupine quills; had a single guard, and wasn't being manhandled at all.**  
**

Frank wished he could _do_something, but his powers were locked down so totally he couldn't draw on anything. Not even the just-barely-in-reach feeling he got with his Father's dampeners, but as if they were on the other side of a canyon he couldn't cross. _But if they were really sure of their dampeners, they wouldn't be handling me like a walking bomb._**  
**

The thought wasn't as much comfort as he'd hoped.**  
**

He turned his head, looked to the other boy. "So, what are your powers, anyway?"**  
**

The Skrulls all stiffened for a moment, but didn't do anything rash, just kept him marching down the hall. The older boy waited a moment, as if fearing some strike, then answered, "Pretty much just the quills. They're kind of poisoned but... nothing too dangerous. They just knock people out."**  
**

Frank looked at the Super-Skrull, eyebrow raising. The Super Skrull looked back, very blandly. "We never know how useful something will be until we've tried it, little man."**  
"**Sure, sure," he replied. _I hope they don't decide to hurt him for not having a good power to steal..._

* * *

0o0

* * *

_The tension of waiting, after that little burst of hope, is almost worse than it was before,_thought Luke Cage as he sat at a console in the situation room.**  
**

The Avengers had a very, very powerful computer system. They also had a very, _very_massive database for those computers to sift through. The nervous energy was starting to get to him, and the temptation to pace was building. Jessica was doing somewhat better, talking in low tones with Sue Richards, Carol Danvers and Margaret Power. The women all seemed seemed... calmer, thanks to that.**  
**He envied them their outlet.

He resisted the urge to pidgeonhole one of the science types. Right now, none of the big minds were in the mood to chat. Hank was busy helping the scanner sift data, and had patched his Shi'ar database into the system to check it simultaneously. Reed was absent, offworld on some prior venture, and the others had been unable to reach him - he wondered how much that was eating at Sue and Ben, given the circumstances. Stark was divided between the scanner and the situation plot; still focusing on the possible blow-up in Latveria - under normal circumstances he'd be a lot more concerned about that himself, but right about now, Doom could be left to his tin-can self.

Logan drifted up. "How you holdin' up, Cage?"

"I'm managing. You come up with any hints at all, on your end?"

The mutant shook his head, scowling for a moment. "Whoever did this was damned good at their job. Once the brains track 'em down, I intend to come along. I wanna ask the guy what done it a few questions. Then I'll hold him, while you hit."

Coming from Logan, that was no small concession - Cage new the X-man had an odd 'grandfatherly' streak to him, so any kidnapper would not do well in Logan's hands. Between that and the number of mutants this perp had taken, and Cage had figured the man would have wanted first crack at him. Hell, just based on his words, the self-declared 'best there is at what I do' was hurting from being beaten like this. "I think that works for us both."

As if sensing his thoughts, Logan looked him in the eye. "I want him, real bad, but you got a stronger claim." A pause. "'Course, right about now I ain't to sure I want to get between him an' Sue. Or him an' your wife. Ain't gonna be pretty, when they get ahold of him."

Luke's smile was grim. "I'm not planning to lose any sleep over it."

"Me, either."

* * *

0oO

* * *

Katie Power had had her powers suppressed before. Once upon a time, when Professor Xavier went crazy and turned into Onslaught, the Pack had (very, very foolishly, she had to admit) ignored the Avenger's instruction to sit on the sidelines and just save people from Sentinels. They'd tried to rescue Franklin, kidnapped by Xavier. It hadn't gone well.**  
**

That time, it felt like her powers had been just beyond her reach. Just far enough removed that she couldn't really _do_anything with them, but she could still feel them. The Skrull device around her neck...**  
**She could still feel her powers. When she tried to use them, it felt like they were responding, but almost instantly there would be a feeling of... almost pressure; as if a wall pushed her mass back into its 'proper' form. It didn't interfere with her costume, either. Not much she could do about it at the moment but... food for thought. _I'm not quite as locked down as they probably want._**  
**

For the moment, it was time to rest. It had been a long, long day - possibly more than that, since they didn't really have any way to tell the time in here. Across the way, Klara and Molly had both fallen into fitful looking sleeps. She made brief use of the facilities, then tried to find the least-uncomfortable spot on the metal cot.**  
**

A voice she didn't expect sounded from the other side of the wall. "Power. Are you awake? I would speak with you." The Asian girl, her tone oddly neutral, compared to its usual acid.**  
**

**"**Yeah, I'm awake," she replied, voice quiet but pitched to carry - she didn't want to wake any of the others.**  
**

**"**Your escape attempt did not go terribly well. Given your powers and your vaulted status as a hero, I cannot say I am impressed."**  
**

Katie scowled, but kept her tone neutral. "I'm not super happy about how it went either. But there'll be another chance."**  
**

There was a long moment of silence, then she continued, her voice lacking its snide edge. "Back in the hall, when that Skrull gave his ultimatum... were you bluffing when you said you could escape even then?"**  
**

Katie wondered a moment at the change in tone. "No, I wasn't. I probably could have gotten loose. If nothing else, I could have created lots of mayhem."**  
**

**"**Then why did you surrender?"**  
**

She blinked, turned and stared towards the source of the voice, even knowing that the other girl couldn't possibly see her through the wall. "Because he was going to kill you. I mean... I've fought some nasty types before, I don't think he was bluffing."**  
**

Another pause; the Asian girl's voice was quieter, almost strained, as it continued. "But... _why_? Why care for me? You do not know me, you do not even know my name... since we have met, I have done nothing but speak bile and venom at you and Richards and the others. What possible reason did you have to give yourself up for me?"**  
**

Katie again blinked. "I... couldn't let him kill you. I mean, yeah, you were being a jerk, but I don't think you're totally bad or anything." A pause. "I figured there'd be another chance; a chance to get away without getting anyone killed."**  
**

**"**And that chance is now lost." She sounded almost... wistful.**  
**

**"**It might be. It might not. I've been a hero most of my life-" _All thirteen years of it _**"**-and I'm not _nearly_out of tricks yet." A pause. "Besides, I don't care how careful they thought they were when they did their little snatch. The heroes won't stop looking for us, and they _will _find us."**  
**

There was a long pause before the other girl answered. "They will not be looking for me; they know nothing _of_me."**  
**

**"**When they get this far, I don't think they'll _only_be taking back kids on some list."**  
**

**"**...I do not understand people like you. The Order that raised me would never exert themselves like this, not for any child not their own." A pause, but before Katie could formulate a question - _Order? _

_Like monks or something?_- she continued. "Certainly not one they did not know."**  
**

**"**Well, I know for a _fact _they'll be looking for me, and I won't let them leave _me_here without my friends." A pause as she let that sink in a moment. "Would you like to be my friend?"**  
**

The silence stretched for a long moment, then, "I... perhaps I would."**  
**

Katie smiled. "Hi there. My name is Katie Power. What's yours?"**  
**

The other girl gave a short, surprised laugh, then, "Cynthia."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Hank McCoy's whoop was triumphant.**  
**

A grin that could only be described as catlike split his features. "I've got a match. The pollen matches up with a sample taken from a planet near the Shi'ar border. It's inhabitable, but the survey report shows no strategic resources."**  
**

**"**Uninhabited?" Stark's voice cut through the beginning cheers.**  
**

**"**According to this. It may not be the place they're holding the kids, but it's certainly a possibility. And it's a fine first step."**  
**

As cheers filled the room, Luke Cage enveloped McCoy's furry hand in both of his, and shook it. "Thank you, Hank. This is just what we needed."**  
**

**"**My pleasure. Go get your daughter back, Luke."

* * *

They fed the co-ordinates into Friday's navigation program, and the Smartship gave a double beep. "Interesting. Referencing my star charts and calculating a least-time course for that planet now."**  
**

**"**Thanks, Friday. We'll load up." Alex straightened up from the console he'd been hunched over. "Okay, he's working on it." A look around the cabin. "I don't think we'll be able to take more than eight people, though."**  
**

Ben Grimm gave the cabin a look himself and nodded. "We'll have to jack the bad guy's ship for the trip back."**  
**

**"**Oh yeah. I think we're justified at this point." Luke Cage growled. Beside him, Tony Stark nodded.**  
**

Jack smirked at the adult's tone. _I admit, I'm looking forward to a little Grand Theft Spaceship, too._** "**Obviously, me an' Alex are coming, who else?"**  
**

The grownups gave one of those little hesitations that always meant they were debating how to talk him out of doing something superheroic. Before they could start on their arguments on why he should stay behind, he growled, "I don't care that I'm under age. These bastards kidnapped _my kid sister_, and I will be damned before I get left out of a rescue mission for her."**  
**

Alex backed him up. "And it's our ship. Which you wouldn't be looking at for transport if you had anything of your own with the range or speed to get there. Jack and I are not negotiable."**  
**

At the back of the group, Dad met his sons gaze in turn, giving nods of support - though Jack could see the pain and fear in it, and felt a tiny twinge.**  
**

Another look bounced between the adults. Finally, Ben Grimm spoke. "They're young, but they're good. T' Power kids are a solid bunch."**  
**

His vote of confidence seemed to break the deadlock. Luke thought for a moment, then nodded decisively. "Good enough for me. So, me and Jessica, Sue and Ben, and the Power boys. Who else wants in?"**  
**

Miss Marvel spoke up immediately. "I wouldn't miss this for anything." She and Jessica Jones exchanged nods.**  
**

Logan and Hank gave each other a look; Hank nodded. Logan turned to the main group and said, "I'm in too. I want a piece of these bastards."

* * *

OoO

* * *

**"**Well, we're getting about the results we expected from our scouted targets, but the targets of opportunity are much more... mixed."**  
**

Z'aadw stiffened. "You told me to capture powered children I could reach without risk of detection. That's what I did."**  
**

The scientist gave the Super Skrull a quelling look. "Yes, you did. Just as ordered. And for all some are without powers that can truly aid us, a few of them have very interesting abilities." A pause. "And was not the secondary goal of this exercise to cause as much pain to the humans as possible?"**  
**

The Super Skrull gave a grunt of agreement. "I suppose it will work for that still."**  
**

F'klr spoke up then. "As far as our targeted children, how does your research proceed?"**  
**

The scientist brought up a page of impenetrable Techniclese on his screen. "I am still working on that. My primary focus has been on the Richards children. The girl's uncanny ability with technology and engineering, while not terribly useful in combat, should be reproducible. I suspect while it will not be terribly useful in a traditional Super Skrull, it could make for an excellent... Support Skrull, I suppose. A super tech."**  
**

**"**And the boy?"**  
**

**"**Franklin Richard's power... is interesting, and much more complex than we'd first thought. We may be able to duplicate it in parts, but not the whole of it." A pause. "Frankly, given what he is in theory capable of if he ever _does_reach full power, that's probably for the best."**  
**

**"**So he does have the potential to become a full-on reality warper?"**  
**

**"**Yes. Sirs, I know you have your priorities, and they override the scientific goals of this expedition, but I would urge you, once we've got a full array of samples, and have them all analyzed, _kill him._**" **The normally soft-spoken scientist's voice filled with conviction as he reached the end of that statement.**  
**

**"**His powers are thoroughly dampened, and we owe his parents far more pain than most." F'klr's tone suggested devil's advocate more than anything else.**  
**

The scientist took that as his cue. "The Richards boy has a history of overcoming checks on his powers. However satisfying taking a little revenge on his family on the boy might be, the risks, I think, outweigh the rewards."**  
**

Z'aadw spoke quietly. "He's got a point. And his sister is much more easily kept under control."**  
**

**"**Your points are well taken. All right. Make studying Franklin Richards your priority; once he's done, we'll eliminate him."

* * *

OoO

* * *

The Smartship Friday was designed to transport small teams over long distances. It had a great deal of range, and its systems were impeccably designed for those purposes; but seven adults and one teenager stressed it's capacity almost to its limits.**  
**

Friday had come through in impeccable style - plotting a course that used multiple wormhole shortcuts and would have them at the planet in a matter of hours. Laden with people, supplies, and as many assorted portable scanners as could be crammed in, he was, proverbially, loaded for bear.**  
**

The planet might not be their destination, but it would be, bare minimum, a good first step. Whoever did this might have been incredibly careful on Earth, but this far from their objective, they might not be so cautious.

* * *

Oo0

* * *

Julie Power had taken her time flying in, collecting her thoughts and preparing to come home, for the first time in a long time. A home she'd never wanted to return to. She wasn't looking forward to this confrontation with her family. She wasn't looking forward to it at all. Katie kidnapped... They'd be frantic. Tempers would almost certainly be ready to flare.**  
**

But now New York was filling her line of sight, and she was out of delays.**  
**

In silence, she flew into the city. The family apartment building came into sight. _Now or never._**  
**

She landed on the roof. The spare key was exactly where she remembered it. She let herself in through the roof access, and from there into the apartment. Her parents were in the living room, sitting together. She braced herself as they looked up.**  
**

She braced herself for nothing. "Julie!" her mother shouted, jumping up and wrapping her in a big hug. Her father was barely a step behind.**  
**

**"**Thank you for coming - we were worried."**  
**

**"**Worried that I'd been taken, too?"**  
**

**"**Worried for you in general - We've missed you."**  
**

Julie felt her eyes tear up. She was home. She hadn't expected that, when she started. "Do they know where Katie is yet?"**  
**

Daddy replied, "They think so. You missed their takeoff by about an hour." A pause. "I'm sorry."**  
**

Julie screwed her eyes shut. "So am I."

* * *

Oo0

* * *

**"**And here we are," said Susan Richards as they came out of hyperspace.**  
**

The target planet turned below them, blue and green and brown, and the Smartship's sensors began to probe it. "I am detecting a large scale comm jamming field on the southern continent. Visual scans show a facility there, and I am detecting multiple life signs, including roughly thirty humans."**  
**

That got everyone's attention. "Can you identify it?" Asked Luke Cage.**  
**

**"**The field seems to match Skrull energy patterns. As do the non-human life signs."**  
**

The mood was grim. "Take us in."

* * *

0oO

* * *

Alarms began to wail inside the facility. They had been found.

* * *

Oo0

* * *

In his cell, Franklin abruptly sat up. "Katie!"**  
**

She glanced over. "What is it?"**  
**

**"**I think... I have a feeling... I think my Mom is nearby."**  
**

**"**Are you certain, Richards?" asked Cynthia.**  
**

**"**Yes. Yes, I am."**  
**

Katie smiled. "He'd know. I knew they wouldn't be able to keep you down for long, Franklin." Her grin turned into a smirk. "Time for me to pull out a trick."**  
**

Then she sat down, closed her eyes, and focused on the string of energy that bound her original power to her soul.

* * *

OoO

* * *

In his seat, Jack stiffened, then swore under his breath. Alex glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "I think Katie just got bored of waiting for us, bro," he muttered**  
**

**"**She just took back the Energy power?"**  
**

**"**She just took back the Energy power."**  
**

Alex swore, too, then spoke up to be heard by the planning adults. "Uh, We've suddenly got a time limit. The prisoners are about to try a breakout."**  
**

Cage raised an eyebrow.**  
**

Mrs Richards came to their rescue. "The Power children's powers are strangely linked. It wouldn't surprise me if they could tell at this range, if Katie was trying something."**  
**

A glance shot around the cabin between the Avengers. After a moment, Cage said, "Well then. We got a time limit. Let's roll."**  
**

Ben Grimm ground one fist into the opposite palm, nodding, as did Mrs. Richards. "Two minutes, and we're ready here," said Alex, then murmured, "Julie, wherever you are, I really hope you're close to the ground..."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Julie Power was sitting on the living room sofa, staring at the set of portraits her mother had done of the Power children years ago. One of each, in costume. She remembered posing for it. In many ways, those portraits were the most sincere statement of approval their mother could have made to the children. They demonstrated that she not simply accepted their superheroics, but was proud of them.**  
**

She was lost in thought, her emotions a swirl. Regret played a much bigger part than she'd expected. Her eyes moved from her portrait to that of Katie. _If I was still here, would I still share a room with my baby sister? And if I'd been here... could I have stopped the kidnapper, or would I have been taken too?_**  
**

She rubbed at her forehead, sighing. _And for all the fighting when I left... they'd still take me back._Another sigh. _And right now, I'm sitting useless. I can't go help, because they already took Friday, and all I'm doing here is spinning my wheels between bouts of pestering the Avengers..._**  
**

Suddenly, she felt a tugging at her power. For a long moment, her teeth clenched in old, remembered anger and hurts. _Alex, you swore you'd never do this to me again..._Then, breath releasing, she relented. _And you wouldn't unless something had gone wrong._The tug was more gentle than normal, not even trying to take the power for almost a full minute, and even after that draining away slowly. Her big brother, still trying to look out for her, giving her enough time to get landed if she'd been airborne. Clear of most threats if she'd been pursued; her full speed, these days, came a lot closer to making her moniker true than it had back in the day.

Hugging herself tightly, she fought down the instinctive feeling of betrayal and the bile that came with it. _After this, you better get my little sister back, Alex._


	4. Issue Four

_Disclaimer: I make no claim to these characters and worlds. This story is intended solely for entertainment and to get my muse to shut up about it._

Issue Four

Perhaps predictably, it had taken only seconds for the blame-shifting to begin.**  
**

"How did they _find _this place?" asked Z'aadw.**  
**

"Clearly, you fouled up on Earth!" replied F'klr, angrily.**  
**

"If you hadn't insisted on that jamming field, they might have missed us, just flown on!"**  
**

"The jamming field was a necessity from a security standpoint!"**  
**

The argument threatened to turn violent; the scientist intervened. "Sirs, however they got here, they're _here _now, and they _must _be dealt with. Assigning blame is academic until we know we'll live long enough for the courts martial."**  
**

There were several seconds of charged silence.**  
**

F'klr broke it. "This discussion is not over. I'll drive them off."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Friday had landed as close to the Skrull structure as it dared. The Smartship had kept some terrain between itself and the base, after the first bolt of ground fire. Now, the team was crashing through the forest, making their way to the facility, and preparing for battle. Carol and Jack were airborn - either SHIELD's records on the Pack were incomplete, or none of the Avengers had read them; as that raised a few eyebrows - and the rest of them were tromping through the bush.**  
**

Left behind, Friday was on orders to button up and keep hidden. When the Smartship's sensors detected another ship breaking atmosphere - only the heat of its re-entry betrayed it's presence - Friday debated its response for 1.74 seconds, then attempted to transmit to Alex and warn him of potential company, reasoning that breaking radio silence was a lesser risk to the team's success than letting this surprise them.**  
**

As for its own safety, the Smartship figured it could just move if needed.**  
**

But the jamming, while unable to defeat its sensors, defeated its comms just fine.

* * *

0oO

* * *

Luke Cage was almost grateful when the first Skrull popped up and opened fire. He'd needed a fight for a few days now. Blaster fire bounced off of him. His fists gave back a great deal more. The first Skrull he reached went flying.**  
**

To his left, Jessica and Carol flew overhead. Jessica laid down covering fire as Carol swooped in, ignoring the blasts she took and crashing into the Skrulls among the trees. To his right, Ben Grimm was doing the same on the ground, while Sue held a pack of them at bay with a force field. A force field that was constricting.**  
**

There was a rainbow streak as Jack Power shot overhead, dipping down and snagging one of the Skrulls, then blasting upwards with a sonic boom and releasing the alien far overhead. _The kid's madder than I thought,_Luke thought with a grin. There was a startled yelp just behind him; spinning, he saw a Skrull pinned hard to the ground by some kind of energy field; trying to rise, but looking as if it was fighting to move a mountain.**  
**

Alex Power walked up, one hand shrouded by a similar energy field. "I've got this one pinned in a gravity field. Once we deal with the others, I bet he'll have some interesting things to tell us." They exchanged savage grins.**  
**

Wolverine was out of sight; which Luke put down to the mutant doing his ninja thing. Once this batch of Skrulls were dealt with, they'd be interrogating the one Alex had, and get themselves a shortcut to the facility.**  
**

Then the Super Skrulls arrived.

F'klr watched his fellow Super Skrulls crash into the superhero's ranks and stop their advance, at least for a moment. J'ofr, manifesting the powers of several X-men, grappled with the member of the Fantastic Four named the Thing, steel skinned fingers locking with orange stone ones. L'ran, another Super Skrull in the classic style, trailed flame as she began a deadly dance with Ms Marvel - _damn_the Kree and their interference! - as another flyer raced after an unfamiliar flyer trailing rainbow light.**  
**

He began trading shots with Jewel; a delightfully evil smirk coming to his features as he tried to incinerate the mother of one of his captives. He was less sanguine about the presence of the Invisible Woman - many prior encounters between her and the Skrulls showed she was not to be toyed with.**  
**

But still, a dozen Super Skrulls, backed up by sixty of their lesser brethren. These heroes would not live to escape. They would have to relocate this base, of course, but that was a problem for tomorrow. They'd have to take one of the heros alive - learn how they'd been traced, but that would be ve-**  
**

A projectile pierced his side, and his world turned to pure pain.

* * *

Oo0

* * *

Wolverine had disposed of a handful of regular Skrulls before the Super Skrulls made their entrance, and had deftly avoided that dozen killers for a moment after they arrived. At the moment, he was stalking up behind one of the three Skrulls focusing on containing Susan Richards; his stealth skills being more than up to the task.**  
**

He was the best there is at what he does, and what he does isn't very nice.**  
**

After a few moments, he closed _just_close enough, and burst from the underbrush, claws extended. Normally, he'd go for a heart-shot; but that was always dicey against shapeshifters. One set of claws punched into the Skrull's back, through the spine and into the guts, then ripped upwards as the other set decapitated it, then came around and sliced the head into three sections, which ought to be more or less enough to drop even a Super Skrull.**  
**

Then he darted back into the bush, before the other two could notice. Ganking a second one would be trickier, but not impossible.**  
**

Overhead, he saw one of the standard-model Super Skrulls take a hit and vanish in a flash of light. Then he heard a massively unexpected voice. "And to think, each of these creatures claim to be the equal of the Fantastic Four."**  
**

Victor Von Doom floated on thrust jets, a launch tube on the back of an upraised gauntlet trailing smoke.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Katie Power concentrated for a long moment, then one hand reached up and gripped her collar. Then that hand glowed gold, and the collar dissolved at her touch. She glanced across the hall, met Molly Hayes' gaze, and the two exchanged smirks. "Costume on," she said calmly as she walked to the open wall of her cell. Then Katie touched the force field.**  
**

For a long moment, the field lit up like it had been punched, but continuously rather than the usual brief flash. Then, abruptly, the field vanished, and Katie, now radiating golden light, stepped over the threshold. This time, she didn't touch the field, but the wall beside it. Another golden glow, and the force field holding Molly inside her own cell shorted out with a fat _crack_ing noise.**  
**

"That's a neat trick - how're you doing it?" Molly asked.**  
**

Katie just grinned back. "It's kind of complicated. My siblings and I can all trade powers. And if we have to, we can take back the power we started with, even at a distance."**  
**

"So you went 'yoink?'"**  
**

"More or less." A softly glowing hand grabbed Molly's collar, and the metal band fell in pieces.**  
**Molly's breath hitched. Her powers kicking back in was _such_a rush. "Awesome. Let's bust everyone out."**  
**

So saying, she jammed both hands into the wall between her and Klara, purple fire blazing in her eyes, and tore the alloy like it was paper. Stepping through, she broke open Klara's collar.**  
**

"_Danke, _Molly." She, too, took a sharp breath, and seemed to relax as her powers kicked back in.**  
**Back out in the hall, Katie was systematically disintegrating controls and knocking down force fields.

"Okay, everyone who can fight really well, follow me. We're gonna find the Skrull's ships and stuff, then come back for everyone else; especially the babies and toddlers."**  
**

Before anyone could reply, an angry shout in Skrull came from the end of the hall. Molly smashed back out there as Katie whirled towards it. Two Skrulls stood in the cell block's entrance, and they opened fire with blasters. Katie took most of the volley head on, her glow going from 'moderate' to 'near-blinding,' and then she blasted something towards them.**  
**

The glowing sphere went off like a small bomb, smashing the Skrulls back. Moments later, some kind of blast doors slammed shut, sealing the hallway.**  
**

Katie smirked. "Well, now they know they've got trouble. Who wants to help me give them some more?"

* * *

OoO

* * *

**"**What are you _doing_here, Victor?" asked Susan Richards in a dangerously flat tone. The Super Skrulls were dead or subdued, and most of the regular ones had broken and run. Logan had ghosted into the jungle after a pack of them, a gruff, "I'll track 'em home," all he offered before vanishing.**  
**

"These creatures have wronged me, and for that, they will pay. I _do_thank you for leading me to them." There was an unusual quality to his tone, almost a wistfulness that none of the others could recall hearing in Victor Von Doom's voice before.**  
**

Luke Cage's reply was hard. "Well, I'm glad we could help you get even for whatever their invasion did to you. We're here for personal reasons, not business. If you'll stay out of our way, we'll let you be, but that's it." His eyes narrowed. "I'm here to get my little girl back. I don't much care what you do to them after."**  
**

"How unexpectedly generous of you."**  
**

Cage took a step towards the dictator. "You know damn well that I'm serious, Doom. Don't test me." A pause. "We both know I ain't scared of you."**  
**

There was a moment of silence, and the dictator seemed to be considering the array of heroes facing him. Jessica and Carol were both airborne glowering down at him. Ben Grimm stood ready, arms at his sides, hands in loose fists. Sue stood beside Luke, arms crossed, expression unreadable. The Power boys stood behind them and to the left, looking wary. **  
**

The dictator broke the silence. "I have no interest in hindering you. Indeed, I would cheerily work with you. I desire nothing from these creatures but their _utter ruin._**" **

Susan's eyebrow raised at the vehemence in Doom's tone at that last - vehemence normally reserved for his addressing her husband. "What's going on, here?"

"That is not your concern. For the moment, it is enough to know that our goals are in alignment."

There was a long silence, then, "We're wasting time. We need to move on them before they can hurt the kids."

* * *

0oO

* * *

Valeria Richards had elected to stay in the cell block and lead the defense - they'd found a toolbox - and most of the kids had elected to stay with her. Katie, in costume, lead Franklin(also in costume), Molly, Klara, and Cynthia. Katie had disposed of the assorted power damnpeners on Franklin, and he was gathering power as they walked; so long had he been tamped down that it was taking him a moment to get up to speed.**  
**

Molly had her powers back, a serious grudge on, and had backup from a girl who could absorb laser fire. She figured he'd have plenty of time.**  
**

She was slightly less sanguine about Cynthia, but at the moment, she'd give the snarky girl a little slack. Confident as she was, a little backup couldn't hurt, and Katie seemed to think she'd come in useful. The group made its way down the hall towards the Skrull's science lab. Given the alarms sounding, it was possible that the baddies were already clearing it out to get their 'build a better super skrull' plan to safety, but there was always hope they were slow off the mark. Either way, the kids intended to smash the place, then find their way to the control room or something and get a way out. **  
**

A Skrull brandishing a rifle popped around the next corner and fired at them. They'd learned - he didn't aim for Katie, but for Franklin. The kid held his hands out, and the beam sort of bent in front of him, blasting into the wall. Before they could reply, the Skrull jumped back around the corner. Katie put a hand to the wall, glowing gold, then sent a power ball into the chunk of cover the Skrull was behind. The boom hid him from view, but he let out what Molly guessed was a string of four-letter-words in Skrullish as she reached into her pocket. She'd grabbed some bolts out of that tool kit.**  
**The smoke cleared, and she wound up like a pitcher. The Skrull was scrambling for his feet as she threw. The bolt shot down the hall and hit the Skrull's gun, then deflected into his shoulder, wrecking the laser and sending him tumbling again. Before he could get up again, a bubbly shield popped into existence around him, holding him tight.**  
**

Katie walked up to the Skrull, and the shield flipped him around to face them. In a voice so sweet it could give one sugar shock, she said, "Hey there. We're trying to find the control room, but it seems we've gotten a little turned around. Do you want to tell me how to find it?" A pause, and she gestured towards the others. "Or do you want to tell them?"**  
**

Molly took her cue, slammed one fist into her other palm with a sound like a gunshot and giving the Skrull her most evil grin. Beside her, Cynthia gave the alien a look that put her own to shame, and one hand was wreathed in flames. Molds grew from the floor and walls, spreading around Klara, who stood with arms crossed. Franklin just tried to glower, arms crossed.**  
**

The Skrull did what was probably the best thing to do under the circumstances. His eyes rolled back as he passed out. After a moment, Katie sighed, disappointed. "So much for getting a shortcut. Let's go find some scientists and smash the important stuff."

* * *

Oo0

* * *

The bulk of the soldiers and Super Skrulls had been dispatched to deal with the superheroes who had landed nearby. The remainder were trying to contain an apparent prison break. That left the scientists and techs to pack up all the samples they'd collected, upload the data, and get the hell out. They expected that two dozen Skrulls, most of them veterans, would be able to handle their collection of captives.**  
**

So when the main blast doors of the lab smashed inward, there was a noticeable uptick in the level of panic. It was made worse as a cloud of obscuring fog billowed into the room, and the sounds of breaking machinery began.**  
**

The floor grates began to bend upward with a metallic moan as various jungle life was suddenly supercharged, vines and roots snaring feet and labcoats. Four of the skrulls hit one of the side doors at the same time, tangling each other up and hitting the floor. As the scrambled to rise, bolts of flame began to fall among them. Another group went down as something threw a table into them.**  
**One Skrull, overcome by panic and curling himself into a ball in a corner, cowered until the shouting and crashing faded. That did not register until he felt something poke him in the back. Whirling, he found himself confronted by five grinning children. "Hi there!" began the male. "How do we get from here to the control room?"

* * *

0oO

* * *

The last of the base's forces huddled together in the control room. Two Super Skrulls in the classic mold, and a dozen normals, watching their oncoming doom and controlling the bases' handful of defense emplacements to try and stave it off. It wasn't working - the facility's primary defense had been in the fact that it was _secret_- but they were doing all they could, to try and give the researchers time to pack up the data; that some good might come of this debacle.**  
**

They were grimly certain that they weren't actually going to manage to extract themselves - the heroes were close enough that they'd spot the runabouts, and if they saw anyone running for them, they'd surely be able to reach them before the ships could be ready to fly. But there was still a chance to save the data, and if none of them would live long enough to see their vengeance, well, they would know it was coming, and that was no small thing.**  
**

A low boom shook the building. "And that would be the never-to-be-sufficiently-damned Kree-powered woman taking out Battery Six," muttered one of the techs. Another boom sounded as Doctor Doom destroyed Battery Four. "Have the scientists finished packaging their experiment data?"**  
**

Another tech tried to page the lab. Then he switched a monitor. Then he swore viciously.**  
**The two remaining Super Skrulls exchanged looks, then nods. "There's no more point in staying here. If you abandon all the safety checks, how long does it take to make one of those ships fly?"**  
**

"Only a few minutes; but do we have the _time_?"**  
**

"We are out of options. Our defenses are failing, and there are no truly defensible places on this base left. We can either try to escape or wait for them to kill us."**  
**

There was a moment of silence as the Super Skrull's words sunk in, then the techs stood, prepared to run. They drew their sidearms, shut down their consoles. "You're right," muttered one. "But it feels so... empty to just give up."**  
**

"I don't intend to just give up." The Super Skrull turned to the main console, punched in an access code. "Computer: increase the base's reactor fuel flow three-hundred percent and disengage all safeguards."**  
**

In a flat tone, the computer replied, _Warning, that course of action will lead to a core overload and catastrophic failure. Estimated blast: two kilotons._**  
**

"Acknowledged. Proceed; safety override code Oscar, Mike, Foxtrot, G-"**  
**

Before he could finish the statement, the wall blew in. The heroes had made excellent time.**  
**

Lunging through the hole in the wall, Luke Cage shouted, "Avengers, Assemble!"**  
**

The Skrulls whirled, weapons drawing from their holsters as they made ready to fire-**  
**

The main door, sealed from the alert, blew inward in a gold-tinged blast. Katie Power stood in the doorway, shrouded in golden light and flanked by her fellow captives. "Power Pack - Attack!"**  
**

The melee rapidly descended into mayhem. One Super Skrull made a grab for Cage; quickly found itself caught between Cage, Grimm, and Danvers. Jewel blasted one of the normals. One of the normals got caught in a gravity field and pinned to the ceiling. The other Super Skrull sent a blast of fire at the five children; Cynthia moved as if to block and the fire deflected hard into a wall. Katie and Franklin blasted it; Molly rushed in with a punch that smashed it _through_the opposite wall.**  
**

Almost unheard in the rush, the computer said, _Override code not accepted, overload canceled._

In moments, all of the Skrulls were dead or disabled; pinned together by an invisible force field. And the reunion began.

The three Power siblings met in the center of the room in a group hug. Franklin was swept up by his mother, his Uncle Ben moving in for a gentle but heartfelt hug. The other heroes gravitated to one group or the other, murmuring support and relief.**  
**

Unnoticed in a far corner, Victor Von Doom and Cynthia faced each other at an arms' reach of distance. For a moment, they stood in silence, then Cynthia lunged forward, wrapping her father in a hug. After another moment, Doom returned it, crouching down. Then they separated, standing.

After a few moments, Luke Cage ruffled Katie Power's hair and said, "Okay, glad you kids are fine. Where are they keeping the others?"**  
**

"Down below. I'll take you there."

* * *

0o0

* * *

Z'daaw breathed a sigh of relief as he entered the cabin of the runabout.**  
**

Designed to be a master of stealth, he'd made his way to the ships once it became clear to him that they were not going to win this one. He'd not been seen, it seemed. _Therefore, it was not something I did that got us caught on Earth. Vindication._He sank into one of the control couches and began the start-up sequence. _Time to get the hell out of here._**  
**

There was a _snikt_sound, and pain blossomed in one shoulder. As he began to cry out, a hand clamped over his mouth. "Hey there, Bub. You and me got _business_to discuss..."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Danielle cradled in his arms, Luke Cage surveyed the surviving Skrulls. There were more of them than he'd expected, in some ways. But on the whole, he wasn't worried. They'd been thoroughly cowed. Perhaps especially the ones the kids had taken out during their breakout.**  
**

"All right, people, listen up." He spoke softly, but with his voice pitched to carry over the crowd.

"Consider yourselves lucky: all the kids you took seem perfectly healthy. Congratulations, you get to live." He paused, and let them mull that over for a moment. "Now. Here's what's gonna happen. We're gonna finish destroying every scrap of computer memory and every physical sample you took in this entire base, and then we're leaving. We're gonna take the bigger of your ships when we do, and we're gonna break the other one a little. Enough so you can't follow us too close."**  
**

His eyes hardened. "You get to live, and you get to go home. When you do, you're gonna make for _damn_sure that none of your people ever try to go after our kids again. If you decide to pull this stunt again, even if we get 'em back safe, there ain't gonna be any mercy for you and yours. That's the best offer you're gonna get: one more chance. For now, you all behave, or this offer goes away."**  
"**You got me?"**  
**

There was a long silence, and then the crowd nodded as one.

* * *

Oo0

* * *

The return trip was crowded. They'd had to split their forces somewhat; Friday didn't have all that much capacity, and for all he'd helped, nobody was terribly eager to let Doctor Doom ferry any innocent kids home, nor had he offered; simply taking off once he was sure everything was ready.

Carol Danvers and Ben Grimm were working together to fly the Skrull runabout they'd confiscated; Luke, Jessica, and Danielle had gone with them, to help ride herd on the children. So were Sue, Franklin and Valeria; that family wanting to stick with their Uncle. In the end, the only adult who'd elected to join the Powers on Friday was Logan, acting as 'the voice o' adult responsibility' among the Power siblings, Molly, Klara, and Cynthia.**  
**

The trip was a happy one, jokes were told, tales were swapped. They'd managed to draw a few tales of her upbringing in a remote monastery that 'owed her father some favors' from Cynthia, though the girl remained reticent when it came to talking about her past and her family.

Eventually, the conversations died away. It had been a long and trying few days for the various heroes, and they were all ready for rest. The Smartship provided cots and bunks for its passengers, and all but three of them retired for a well-earned sleep.**  
**

The Power siblings, however, conversed quietly for some time after.**  
**

"You really think this is a good idea?" whispered Jack.**  
**

"I probably wouldn't have gotten out without them," replied Katie in like tones.**  
**

"Well, I _understand _that, I'm just not sure..."**  
**

The youngest sister crossed her arms. "It's no different than when we recruited Franklin."

That stopped the boys for a moment, and they exchanged glances. Then Alex replied, "Fair enough, but Molly and Klara already _have _teams, so-"**  
**

Katie cut him off. "Please. How many teams is Logan on? It's not like we'd be making them quit the other team. Just a sort of... solidarity."**  
**

The brothers exchanged a glance heavy with meaning and silent conversation.**  
**

"Okay, that works."

* * *

Oo0

* * *

Friday's internal manufacturing plant was more than up to making three new costumes.**  
**

"Are you trying to, I dunno, recruit us?" asked Molly.**  
**

"Well, there's a communicator built in. We could help each-other," Katie replied. Her brothers were letting her do the talking, waiting in the cockpit with a bemused Logan.**  
**

Klara was giving the fabric a critical eye. "What are they made of?"**  
**

"Unstable molecules, mostly. They're totally weatherproof, don't rip easily, and are generally good clothes."**  
**

"Do they all have magic pockets?"**  
**

"Uh-huh."**  
**

Cynthia, looking over the one she'd been offered, finally spoke. "Are they fireproof?"**  
**

"Yep. We found _that _out the hard way, once."**  
**

The daughter of Doom looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Well then. I accept."**  
**

That brought the other girls into agreement, and the three men turned away, finding space suddenly much more interesting.**  
**

After a long moment, Logan broke the silence at the bow. "You guys realise you just recruited Doc Doom's secret mutant love child into your team?"**  
**

"Yeah, we kind of figured that out," said Jack. "We're hoping he doesn't take exception to that."**  
**

"We'll try to be a good influence on her," said Alex. "Keep her away from team evil in the future and such."**  
**

"You can look now," came Molly's voice from behind them. The men turned.**  
**

Klara looked bemused, standing in a dark green costume marked with the sigal of a growing plant. Molly looked genuinely pleased with her own look, in a purple number marked with the symbol of a fist and a matching floppy beret. Cynthia wore a bright blue costume marked with a flame, and was running through a series of stretches, as if testing the freedom of motion of the costume.**  
**

"What do you think?" asked Katie.**  
**

"Welcome to the team."

* * *

0o0

* * *

Friday was slightly more nimble in hyperspace than the Skrull runabout following, and so they'd arrived back at Earth a few hours ahead of the main group. Molly and Klara had requested a drop-off in California, and they'd given it to them, Logan leaving them with his card ("I know you got friends an' support, but if you ever need a hand, give me a call, kids."). Cynthia had declined to help them find her monastery, saying she'd find a way home from New York.**  
**

Then they'd flown for New York, calling ahead. The Power family reunion was a happy one; and they'd given words of assurance to the other gathered parents, all awaiting the return of their own children. Logan did most of that talking, spending some time with a number of the gathered adults, as well as giving a brief report to the Avengers.**  
**

The main group finally arrived, and the mood, one of hushed hope, gave way to one of ecstatic joy as parents and children were reunited. The Powers stood together, a happy and content island in a sea of greater happiness, and for a short time simply watched.**  
**

Then they said their good-byes and headed home. This was a matter best celebrated as a family.

-End

* * *

Author's Afterword.

One day I shall set out to do one of these and life will _not_ throw me a curve ball to screw up the production time. I swear to god, Odyssey cannot have been a one-off fluke. My excuse this time is job stuff - massive overtime followed by my hurting myself. I was on some seriously good painkillers for a week or so - good enough my ability to type coherently was more or less completely shot for a couple days.

Hammering this last chapter into shape took more tries than I expected, which surprised me a lot given that I had a fairly good idea what I wanted to happen beforehand. Paying off all the dancing around who Cynthia was, some good slam-bang hero fights, dramatic entrances, good cop/bad cop... the bones were there, but fleshing them out took way too much effort, and while I'm still not perfectly happy with how things stand, I figure it's good enough. I don't feel like letting this one sit any longer unfinished - I wasn't planning on putting this much time into it in the first place.

This story owes its genesis to a sort of 'superhero fantasy football' game two years back on RPGnet. The game was 'pick your own Avengers roster' with the lot of us going in random turns, and whoever picked a given character first was the only one allowed to use that character. Once teams were picked, we all gave a brief synopsis/story pitch for our plot idea.

Family Matters wasn't my Plan A. It wasn't my Plan B or C, either. But once the idea hit me, and I got Sue, Luke, and Alex, I knew I'd be able to actually get the characters to pull it off. The germ of the idea came out of that draft... and sat unused for two years, because I couldn't muster the mental energy to do anything with it. It's final form is tweaked from what I'd started with, since right now I'm not constrained by what characters I could and could not pick.

I haven't been following Marvel Comics all that close in the last two years. The first thing I knew about Julie being in _Avengers Academy_was a PM from a reader. I suppose, if one was to try and slide this into a point of continuity... well, after Johnny Storm died, but before Julie showed up in _Academy_, I suppose, though to be honest I'm not sure if those events don't overlap. Hell, it wouldn't be the worst contortion of canon I've ever inflicted.

The character of Cynthia came to me shortly after I settled on this story idea. What's the only thing the bad guys could do that's worse for them than deliberately pissing off a bunch of superheroes? Pissing off a major super_villain_, since they have much less compunction about killing everything in sight. I couldn't think of any official kids of baddies who were in the right age bracket, and the idea of the Daughter of Doom more or less popped into my head then and there. The idea of the Pack more or less recruiting her (as well as Molly Hayes) flowed naturally.

Making said Daughter a DoomZula joke... hell, it's me. It'd be wrong if I _didn't _have some kind of crack in here.

The first attempt at this story, right after the draft, was in comic book script format, which I found amazingly hard to write in (and probably accounts for a lot of why the first attempt died in the cradle and the tale languished in my To Do list for so bloody long). A few bits that I feel ought to be preserved: once they got Frank's powers going, I'd intended to describe him as being surrounded by Kirby Dots whenever he tried something... and couldn't figure out how in hell to describe what that looked like in-character.

The two hero teams smashing into the control room, of course, was to be rendered as back-to-back splash pages. In the first draft, Molly was going to have found a sledgehammer somewhere, for effect. Her bolt throwing, I think, works better than the Vita joke would have.

Still, getting this down and done feels good. If I held it back until I thought it was perfect, it'd never get posted, so this'll do.

And yes, I'm still working on the Next Bit of the Grand Tour series. I have a Kunnin Plan, I'm just struggling with execution and trying to get some other stuff done too - my pursuit of something I can actually publish for money continues.

Hope you've gotten at least some enjoyment from this gang. Fly safe.


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